This week, I had the opportunity to reflect deeply on AI’s role in creative industries. Throughout the Augmenting Creativity studio, I have experienced a range of emotions regarding AI’s use in artistic endeavours—from intrigue to confusion, to inspiration, and back again. We were tasked with finding someone who serves as a ‘voice of resistance’ towards AI, and I discovered Susie Alegre, a human rights lawyer and author who has spoken out against AI across various industries. In her recent book, Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI (2024), she emphasizes that we, as individuals and as a society, are not powerless in the face of AI’s growing ubiquity. She advocates for the continued expression of human creativity in the arts and for fostering stronger relationships without relying on AI and technology.

Reading Alegre’s reservations about technology and AI made me reflect more deeply on what it means to create with AI. Just last week, I completed our Assignment 1 documentary using generative AI and had mixed emotions. I felt pride and a sense of creative ownership over the video, but I also experienced conflicting feelings as I considered the ethical implications of using AI. I began to question whether AI-generated creations might unintentionally discredit or exploit the hard work of other artists, particularly in the way AI is trained (McLoughlin J 2024). This caused some hesitation, knowing that I could create without AI and avoid the risk of crossing ethical boundaries.

While learning more about voices of resistance to AI has provided me with valuable insights and made me more mindful of how I use AI both in my creative work and everyday life, I also found inspiration in AI-generated art through this week’s reading, On Hybrid Creativity (2018). The reading showcased beautiful AI-generated art, where unique gene mutation art was created from code. It’s fascinating to think of AI as something that is constantly learning and evolving, rather than static. The art in the reading, as well as the music video by The Organizing Committee that our studio leader shared, really captured my interest. I’m beginning to realize that I appreciate AI creations that are overtly AI-made, rather than those attempting to imitate human work. Understanding the boundaries of creating with AI seems crucial to contributing to a more positive narrative around its use—particularly by positioning AI as a collaborator that enhances our creative abilities rather than something that entirely takes over (Lomas A 2018).

 

References

Alegre S (2024) Human Rights, Robot Wrongs : Being Human in the Age of AI, Atlantic Books, Limited. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rmit/detail.action?docID=30858773.

Lomas A (2018) ‘On Hybrid Creativity’, Arts, vol. 7, no. 3, p. 25. https://rmit.instructure.com/courses/139133/pages/week-4

McLoughlin J (2024) ‘The work of art in the age of artificial intelligibility’, AI & Society, https://rmit.instructure.com/courses/139133/pages/week-3.